Top 5 Qlik Visuals That Actually Impress Execs in the Age of AI.

Read time: 2.5 minutes

1. Killer KPI Cards.

Problem/Data:
75% of business executives don’t fully trust the data in front of them. (RT Insights, 2022)

Fix:
Big KPI cards with AI annotations that highlight anomalies instantly.

Example:
Revenue: $12.5M (+8% YoY). AI flags: “Churn +3% in NE region — investigate retention.”

2. Combo Bar + Line with AI Forecasts.

Problem/Data:
80% of businesses say their reporting methods fail to deliver actionable, operation-specific insights. (MoldStud, 2025)

Fix:
One chart, two stories: bars for actuals, line for growth, shaded AI forecast for what’s next.

Example:
Revenue bars Q1–Q4, line shows +12% YoY, forecast predicts Q1 next year: $3.2M ± 5%.

3. Waterfall Charts Enhanced with AI Drivers.

Problem/Data:
Static reporting systems often collapse under growing data and reporting demands. (NDEVR, 2023)

Fix:
Waterfall charts paired with AI drivers that explain why numbers shifted.

Example:
Revenue change Q1 → Q4: “Pricing +$200K, Retention -$50K, Upsells +$80K.”

4. Heatmaps / AI Traffic-Light Tables.

Problem/Data:
Employees waste nearly 10 hours per week just searching for information. (Glean, 2025)

Fix:
Heatmaps with AI-flagged anomalies make problem areas impossible to miss.

Example:
Regional sales: NE red (below target), SW yellow (watch), Central green (on track). AI adds: “NE sales -15% vs forecast — trigger retention campaign.”

5. AI-Powered Storytelling / Snapshot Sheets.

Problem/Data:
85% of executives admit their organizations struggle to diagnose problems effectively. (Harvard Business School, 2024)

Fix:
One sheet: KPIs + AI-generated narrative + decision pathway.

Example:
KPIs: Revenue +8%, Churn +3%, CSAT 87%. AI narrative: “Invest in NE retention campaign → projected gain $120K next quarter.”

Key Takeaways:

• Dashboards alone don’t win… executives need clarity, speed, and action.

• AI turns charts into narratives that guide decisions.

• Trust comes from transparency, simplicity, and instant anomaly visibility.

• Combine visuals and forecasts… execs want what’s next, not history.

• A dashboard should answer “Why it matters” and “What to do next” in under two seconds.